• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.201-211
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study is to summarize and compare acupuncture points used for dental disorder in the classics with those used in recent clinical trials. Methods : We searched the data for acupuncture points used and rationale of acupuncture in dentistry. Following two sources were searched: 1) seven Classics of traditional medicine and 2) clinical trials through Pubmed from January 2000 to March 2013 with no language restriction. Results : Dental pain was the most common disorder in the dentistry section of the Classics of traditional medicine. We found many similarities of acupuncture points used between literatures and clinical trials. From the meridian perspective, large intestine meridian(LI), stomach meridian(ST), triple energizer meridian(TE), and gallbladder meridian(GB) were frequently used in the Classics of traditional medicine and the clinical trials. From the acupuncture point perspective, acupuncture points were selected according to syndrome. The specific points such as five transport points, source points, and connecting points were also used. In the clinical trials, combination of acupuncture points usually consisted adjacent points and distant points. Among them, LI4 was used in all of the studies included in this review. Conclusions : For well-designed clinical trial, appropriate intervention is essential. To establish appropriate acupuncture treatment, we have to suggest reasoning for treatment based on literature and/or expert consensus. Our review only focused on pain relief in dentistry and had many limitations. Further studies based on the literatures such as the Classics of traditional medicine are required to ensure the rationale of acupuncture treatments in various dental disorders.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2019

Background: This study was designed to investigate the potential effects of Galgeungyulpitang for whitening and elasticity treatment by examining its effect on melanoma cells. Methods: The effects of Galgeungyulpitang on B16/F10 melanoma cell viability, production of melanin, tyrosinase and elastase, were investigated. Cell viability was measured by colorimetric assay that assesses cell metabolic activity (MTT assay). Melanin was measured by Hosei's method, tyrosinase was measured by Yogi's method and elastase was measured by James's method. Results: At concentrations higher than $500{\mu}g/mL$ Galgeungyulpitang, cell viability was significantly reduced ($p{\leq}0.05$). At concentrations of $500{\mu}g/mL$ and lower, morphological changes were not observed. The rate of melanin synthesis was significantly reduced to $73.49%{\pm}2.92%$ at a concentration of $500{\mu}g/mL$ Galgeungyulpitang compared with untreated cells (p < 0.05). Extracellular tyrosinase production was not significantly decreased in vitro, however, intracellular tyrosinase production was significantly reduced to $76.06%{\pm}2.17%$ when treated with Galgeungyulpitang at a concentration of $500{\mu}g/mL$ compared with the control (p < 0.05). Elastase Type 1 production was significantly reduced to $74.98%{\pm}3.24%$ and $69.62%{\pm}4.66%$ at concentrations of 250 and $500{\mu}g/mL$ Galgeungyulpitang, respectively (p < 0.05). Elastase Type 4 production was significantly reduced to $72.77%{\pm}3.52%$ at concentrations of 250 and $500{\mu}g/mL$ (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results in this study showed that Galgeungyulpitang may inhibit melanin and tyrosinase synthesis, and inhibit elastase production, suggesting that Galgeungyulpitang may be potentially beneficial for skin whitening and loss of skin elasticity treatments.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the acupuncture treatment studies of tic disorder in traditional chinese medicine. Methods : We reviewed the 16 studies about acupuncture treatment of tic disorder which were published from 2005 through 2007. We selected those studies from CNKI(中國知識基礎設施工程 http://www.cnki.net). Results : Selected 16 studies were divided into 8 case reports and 8 control studies. CCMD(6 studies) and DSM(4 studies) were frequently used in the diagnosis of tic disorder. Acupuncture points frequently used were 百會(Baekhoe, $GV_{20}$), 太衝(Taechung, $LR_3$), 風池(Pungji, $GB_{20}$), 合谷(Hapgok, $LI_4$), 神門(Sinmun, $HT_7$), 三陰交(Sameumgyo, $SP_6$), 內關(Naegwan, $PC_6$) and so on. According to specific parts of symptom, some acupuncture points were added. Most of studies reported that acupuncture treatments of tic disorder were very effective. Conclusions : There have been reported many acupuncture treatment studies of tic disorder in traditional chinese medicine. We believe that these studies could be applied to the clinical practices in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2009

Enhanced formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated as a major pathogenesis process leading to diabetic complications, normal aging, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In our ongoing project to discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, we have investigated on the inhibitory activity of 67 ethanol extracts from 57 Korean herbal medicines against the formation of AGEs in vitro. Of these, 22 extracts were found to have a significant AGEs inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, 6 extracts from 3 herbal medicines, Castanea crenata (flower, leaf, bark-twig), Acer tatarium subsp. ginnala (fruit) and Sapium japonicum (leaf, twig) showed (approximately 8-17 fold) stronger inhibitory activity than that of aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2011

Aldose reductase (AR) has been implicated in the development of the diabetic complications. To discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, 65 Korean herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Of these, 23 herbal medicines exhibited a significant inhibitory activity compared with 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG). Particularly, 8 herbal medicines, Acer tataricum (twig, stem and leaf), Acer tataricum (fruit), Rhododendron schlippenbachii (twig, stem and leaf), Weigela subsessilis (twig, stem and leaf), Acer mono (branch and leaf), Ailanthus altissima (twig, stem and leaf), Lindera obtusiloba (branch and leaf), Solidago serotina (whole plant) showed three times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, TMG.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.65-74
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• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this review is to analyze the trends of Korean medicine treatment for trigger finger. Methods Clinical papers using Korean medicine to treat trigger finger were searched in five online databases-Koreanstudies Information Service System, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, ScienceON, Research Information Sharing Service, and PubMed. Nine studies were selected, and we analyzed their characteristics according to the author, year, number/gender/age of patients, duration of disease, duration of treatment, intervention method, measurement methods, and results. Results Seven case report studies, one prospective observational study, and one randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected in online databases, and there were no review studies. The most frequently used therapies were pharmacopuncture and acupuncture treatment. visual analogue scale, Quinnell's classification of triggering, was frequently used for measurement methods. All nine studies had therapeutic effects. Conclusions We reviewed studies of Korean medicine treatments for trigger finger, in this study. However, there are limitations that seven of the nine selected papers were case papers, and the number of papers was small. This paper suggests that a higher level of research and more studies on Korean medicine treatments of trigger finger need to be conducted.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2019

Background: To suggest potential of Korean medicine treatments as a conservative management for neurogenic claudication and lower extremity weakness due to spinal stenosis. Case Summary: The patient suffered weakness, pain and numbness of the right leg and difficulty walking with diagnosis of spinal stenosis due to herniated lumbar intervertebral disc. Korean medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture and Chuna manual therapy were applied. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) of pain and numbness in the right leg decreased from 7 to 4, with an increase in strength of the right leg from 60% to 95% compared to the strength of left leg. Walking duration also increased from less than one minute to more than five minutes. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment may be considered as an effective conservative management for symptoms of spinal stenosis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.73-77
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• 2017

Objectives: To inform a clinical case of a refractory levator ani syndrome, that was improved by treatments of traditional Korean medicine (TKM). Methods: A 55-years old female had complained severe anorectal pain which didn't respond to Western medicine therapeutics during 5 months including 45-day hospitalization. Whereas the symptom was rapidly resolved by the treatment in a Korean medicine hospital, and the clinical outcome was monitored. Result: There was no abnormality explaining the anorectal pain from blood tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, sonogram and computed tomography for abdomen and pelvis. The patient was diagnosed with a levator ani syndrome. Based on the typical feature of tenderness of lower abdomen as well as beating sign around belly, an herbal drug, Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang (柴胡加龍骨牡蠣湯) was prescribed. In addition, the warm acupuncture at BL 31 to BL 33 and moxibustion on lower abdomen were given to the patient. The anorectal pain was radically reduced from treatment 7-day, and it almost disappeared within treatment 25-day. Conclusion: This case report would provide information for the potential of TKM therapies focused on the refractory levator ani syndrome which no satisfactory therapy exist.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.341-354
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• 2013

Objective : The main idea of this article is to investigate the shamanistic medical activities through the traditional Chinese classics in the Zhou Dynasty. The ancient shaman played a bridge role between human beings and supernatural things like ghosts. Even though he didn't have the super power, the ancients believed that he could take care of all kinds of illness. Therefore, it can be said that the medicine of the Zhou Dynasty was still under the shamanism although it had already started to be specialized and professionalized. Method : This article is going to look into the detailed aspects of the shamanistic medical activities, for example, divination of illness, Zhuyou(祝由), shamanistic preventive medicine, and so on, through the traditional Chinese classics of Zhou Dynasty. Result : The medical knowledge of that time stayed in the early stage, so it was simple and raw. Also it had scientific and unscientific characters in itself at the same time. That's why it could be included in the shamanism. And about the shamanistic medical activities seen on underground written attestations, they will be offered through another article of mine, entitled A Research of Shamanistic Medical Activities on Underground Written Attestations in the Zhou Dynasty(兩周出土文獻所見之醫療巫術考察), which is being written now. Conclusion : From beginning of the Eastern Zhou period, the medicine gradually got to be specialized. And then specialized medical treatments and shamanistic medical activities began to be divided as the different two occupations. However, it is an unchangeable truth that the ancient shaman played an important role in the Chinese traditional medicine. Therefore, it can be said that he was in the very special position in the Chinese traditional medicine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.776-784
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• 2019

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of traditional Korean medicine treatments on a patient diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Case Summary: A 29-year-old male patient suffering from lower back pain and chest pain was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Korean medicine treatments, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine, were applied. The treatment effect was evaluated with a numeral rating scale (NRS) for pain and by changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). After 44 days of treatment, the patient's symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis were improved. The NRS score for lower back pain decreased from 3 to 2, and the NRS score for chest pain decreased from 10 to 1. In addition, the ESR level decreased from 13 to 10 and the CRP level decreased from 1.39 to 0.84. Conclusion: The integrative Korean medicine treatments appeared to be effective in relieving pain associated with ankylosing spondylitis.